Automobile front wheel suspension



'Abrili3i p..w SHERMAN 4 lurfmngnz1m: FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION Filed July 28, 1941 Donald WShemmn INVENT OR.

' ATTORNEX I Patented Apr. 3, 1945 Donald W. Sherman, Shorewood, Wis.,

A. 0. Smith Corporation, corporation of New York assignor to Milwaukee, Wis., a

Application July 28. 1941, Serial No. 404,370

1 Glaim.

Thi invention relates to automobile front wheel suspension and more particularly to an improved type of independent coil spring suspension for the front wheel.

, The object of the invention is to provide a strongerand less expensive suspension for the forward wheels of an automobile.

Another object is to provide a suspension with better cushioning characteristics and having adequate dampening effect.

An embodiment of the inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is aplan view of the forward end of the chassis of an automobile showing the front wheel suspension;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view, partly in section, taken in the direction of the axis oi' the wheel supporting arms;

Figs. 3 is a longitudinal section throughthe forward bearing of the suspension; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the rear bearing of the suspension.

The wheel suspension is of the independent 'coil spring type employing an arm I pivoted at or near the center of the front cross bar 2 of the chassis frame and having its outer .end horizontally pivoted to the steering-knuckle arm 3 to which is verticallypivoted the stub axle 4 of the road wheel I.

A coil'spri'ng 8 rests on a seat 1' near the center of arm I and serves to support the chassis frame at the end of cross bar 2.

Heretofore, this type of mounting has employed a rubber hearing at the inner front pivot between arm I and cross bar 2 and a straight torque arm extending back to a rubber socket which allows flexing of the torque arm. The rear, socket had to withstand substantial thrust forces and was expensive to construct. The torque arm functioned to carry part of the vertical load.

The present invention employs a rear arm 8 secured rigidly to theforward arm I by hor'- zontal gusset plates 9 the upper one of which is shaped to provide the spring seat I.

The steering knuckle 8 is pivoted between the outer end. of arm I and the forward end of arm I on an axis parallel to the axis of the pivoted bearing III between the inner end oi arm I and cross bar 2.

The rear end of arm 8 is pivoted in-a rubber bearing II on a bracket secured to the side frame member I2 of the chassis, the bear'ng II being axially aligned with bearing I 0.

The bearing III has a central threaded pin l8 secured rigidly in a bracket II which is in turn secured to a plate I! on the underside of the which a second metal sleeve 2| is mounted and the latter is received in the flanged end of arm 8. A washer 22 is interposed between a shoulder 23 on pin I1 and the inner ends of sleeve I 9 and rubber bushing 20. A washer 24 is provided at the outer ends of sleeve I9 and bushing 20 and the entire. assembly is secured in place against the shoulder 28 by lock washer 25 and nut 26 which is threaded onto the end of pin IT.

The spring 8 is located approximately at the center of arm I and is on a straight line between.

the center of hearing In and the center of the road wheel 5. The distance between the center of the bearing III and the center of bearing II may be approximately equal to the distance between the center of bearing I0 and the center of the road wheel 5. Thus, in service the bearing I0 carries the entire spring reaction or vertical load and the bearing II carries no static load. The bear ing II, as shown in Figure l, is in effect located at the circumference-of a circle passing through the center of the wheel 8 and struck with the bearing I 0 as its center but the bearing II may be at a smaller or greater radial distance from bearing I0. With this construction bearing II is subjected only to lateral forces transverse to its axis, caused by the fore and aft loading oi road wheel 8.

Were the arm 8 flexible like the arms employed in previous constructions, the bearing II could not be constructed as shown, but it would be subiected to forces in several directions, including major forces longitudinal to the arm. in the present construction these are substantially eliminated by-the rigid tie between arms I and 8 and by employing a rigid bearing III and a cushioned bearing II capable of allowing limited pivotal horizontal movement of the, suspension about bearing III as a center.

The vertical loads on hearing III and the fore and aft loads on wheel 5 are taken by hearing II. There is suiilcient give or looseness in bearing l0 to accommodate the very limited movement resulting when the rubber sleeve 20 of bearing II is compressed on either side.

wheel Ii are taken by prising a pair of diverging arms having their far ends pivoted in aligned bearings to the chassis frame and their near ends pivoted to the road wheel mounting to provide for free pivotal movement thereof under vertical loads on the road wheel, a transverse plate tying said arms rigidly together to prevent relative lateral flexing of the same. the forward arm extending substantially transverse to the chassis frame and having a rigid pivotal connection therewith, the pivot bearing for said rear arm being disposed substantially the same distance from said rigid forward arm pivot bearing as the center of the road wheel and providing a cushion to allow limited oscillation of the arms under fore and aft loads on the road wheel with said forward pivot bearing as a center, and a spring for vertically supporting the chassis upon said forward arm while leaving said rear arm substantially free of vertical load.

' DONALD W. SHERMAN. 

